Ratropolis is a real-time deckbuilder with a strategy twist and adorable art

Here’s a strategy game packed with nascent brilliance: Ratropolis. You take command of a colony of tiny mice fleeing the devastation of their old city to found a new one. You play as one of six unique leaders, each with their own unique powers and abilities, to survive waves of enemies.

It’s a pretty standard defense/survival strategy game concept… but it’s controlled with cards. Ratropolis proudly wears its inspirations on its sleeves. “What if,” some students asked, “there was a game that was our two favorite games combined?”

(Image credit: Cassel Games)

Thus, Ratropolis: A game that’s a proud combination of Kingdom and Slay the Spire. I’m quite honestly shocked at how good it is, because games that are a clear mashup are rarely this good—but here I am, writing about it for you, so it must be good enough for me to spend time on a Saturday telling you about it. There’s a great interplay of mechanics in this game, and the real-time deckbuilding elements serve as a cool layer to tweak. What’s the value of drawing a new hand sooner, or a larger hand size? How can you manipulate your deck over time as your needs evolve? It’s a much more frantic and tactical game than Slay the Spire or similar deckbuilders, where you can agonize over best choices for as long as you want.